Most liquid crystal display (LCD) panels use backlighting to provide a bright image to the viewer. Backlighting is typically provided by diffusing white light from a fluorescent light source or several light emitting diode (LED) sources. To provide evenly distributed backlighting, LCD panels have a diffusion panel that receives the light along one edge of the panel and diffuses the light throughout the face of the diffusion panel. The white light may be directly generated by the fluorescent light source or the LEDs. However, colored LEDs emitting such colors as red, green, and blue (RGB) are also used in some applications. Where colored LEDs are used, the different colors are mixed to create the white light.
In applications that use LEDs, several LEDs typically are mounted on a single substrate. The LEDs and substrate are referred to as an LED device. One type of LED device is referred to as an LED array. Some LED arrays have individual lenses for each of the LEDs. Other LED arrays have multiple LEDs encapsulated together between reflector walls. Whether the LEDs have individual lenses or are encapsulated together, conventional LED devices cause dark spots, or zones, on an adjacent diffusion panel. For example, the LED devices with individual lenses may have dark spots between adjacent LEDs. LED devices with several LEDs encapsulated together may have dark spots between adjacent LED devices.
In view of this, what is needed is an LED device to provide a better light distribution to overcome the problems of dark spots on the diffusion panel.